A Rome man is dead and the victim’s wife and a fellow church member have both been charged with his murder, police said Thursday.

Richard Scott Harper, 33, of 137 Donahoo Road, Silver Creek, and Michelle Sullins Reynolds, 34, of 69 W. Kenora Drive, were both in jail without bail Thursday, charged with the Monday murder of Thad John Glenn Reynolds, 36, also of 69 W. Kenora Drive, police said.

Around 4 a.m. Monday, Thad Reynolds was at the Frito-Lay distribution center, 2605 Calhoun Road, when he was attacked by a knife-wielding assailant believed to have been Harper, said Bill Shiflett, Floyd County assistant police chief.

Reynolds was stabbed 19 times, with the fatal blow received in the chest, said Tony Cooper, chief deputy coroner.

Although Shiflett declined to provide specifics, he said Michelle Reynolds helped plan the murder. He added that she and Harper were “romantically involved.”

Both families attended Hollywood Baptist Church.

“The investigation has shown that both conspired to commit the murder by various means of communication, including personal contact, telephone and computer generated messages,” he said.

After the stabbing, police said, Harper went to Floyd Medical Center, where he also worked in the telecommunications department, “to be treated for wounds to his hands on the day of the murder.”

On the morning Reynolds was slain, police found the sheath to a hunting knife and witnesses saw a red mini-van leaving the crime scene. Police later discovered that Harper owned the mini-van and was driving it the morning of the murder.

As for a motive, police are saying little.

“The investigation is still ongoing and we’re still piecing the puzzle together,” Shiflett said. “We’re still building the historical part of the investigation.”

On the church Web site, Harper was listed as a family pastor.

Thad Reynolds also was involved in the church, serving as a deacon and marriage counselor. He was also an assistant chaplain at Redmond Regional Medical Center and a district manager with Frito-Lay.

Thad and Michelle Reynolds’ four daughters, ages 1 to 12, are with family and friends, Shiflett said.

“I think it’s a shock to all of us, when you live in a community like this that’s small and you talk to people ... that know them that were basically described as great people. ... It’s a shock to the whole community,” Shiflett said.

Harper turned himself in Thursday morning, police said.

Michelle Reynolds was arrested at Rome attorney Preston Smith’s law office, 711 Broad St., where she was meeting with him concerning the Reynolds estate and setting up a college fund for the children, Smith said.

While at his law office, Reynolds agreed to meet with police, Smith said. Before the murder warrant was served, Smith said Reynolds told him she was not involved in her husband’s death. “She has indicated that she was not involved in any way,” he said.

Smith, also a state senator, said he met with Reynolds at the Floyd County Jail, but has not been retained as the criminal defense lawyer. “I represent the family for purposes on the estate issues and college fund issues,” he said. “I would expect she will retain someone else.”

During their meeting at the jail, Smith said, he gave her some “general counseling. I’ve talked to her about what her options are and that sort of thing. We wrapped up some of the issues related to the children and where they were staying.”

Funeral services for Thad Reynolds, which were originally scheduled for today, have been postponed.